Door check and hold open



April 25, 1961 A. w. HOLLAR, JR I 2,980,945

' DOOR CHECK AND HOLD OPEN Filed May 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOPMEY A ril 25, 1961 A. w. HOLLAR, JR 2,980,945

DOOR CHECK AND HOLD OPEN Filed May 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY April 25, 1961 A. w. HOLLAR, JR 2,980,945

DOOR CHECK AND HOLD OPEN Filed May 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HTTORA/EY April 1951 A. w. HOLLAR, JR 2,980,945

DOOR CHECK AND HOLD OPEN Filed May 16, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY 'cated'by line 8-8 of Figure 6;

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2,980,945 7 noon crmcK AND HOLD ornni Filed May 16, 195s, Ser. No. 735,811 is Claims. (on. 16-85) This invention relates to door "checks and hold opens and more particularly to vehicle body door checks and hold opens.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved vehicle body door check and hold open which includes'a positive check limiting opening-movement of the door and a yieldable hold open releasaby holding the door in open position, withthe check and hold open further cooperating'to hold the door in open position without any'rattling or other movement thereof. other object ofthis invention is to provide an improved vehicle body door check and hold open which includes positive stop means limiting. opening movement of the door and yieldable hold open means releasably holding thedoor in open position, with'the hold :o'pen means .further operating to cushion movement of the door t'oa fully open position, and with the positive stop and hold open means cooperating to yieldably hold and locate the door inopen position without rattling.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specificationanddrawings, wherein:

' Figure lis a View of one embodiment of adoor check and hold open accordingto this invention mounted on a vehicle body door, with the doorbeing shownin'closed position; Figure 2 is a 'view similar to Figure -1' and showing the door in openposition;

Figure 3 isa sectional view taken on the plane indicated by'lin'e 3--3 of Figure 1;

s Figure 4 is a sectional viewtaken on the plane, indi catedby line 4 -4 of Figure 2;

Y .I Figure 5 is asectional .view taken along the plane indicated byline 5 5 of Figure '1;

' Figure 6 is a view similar to Figulre 1' and showing another embodiment of a door check and hold open according'to this invention, with the door being shown in closed position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 and showing the door in open position;

' Figure 8 is a'sectional view'taken on the 'planeindi- Figure-9 is a sectional view taken'on the by line 9 9. o'fFigure 7; and Figure 10 is'a sectional view taken along the plane indicatedtbyline 10-10 of Figure 6.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 through 5 of thedrawingsya door check and hold open assembly '20 according to one embodiment of this invention is shown in conjunction witha vehicle body pillar structure 212an'd a vehicle body door-24 which is swingably mounted on the 'pillar structure ina known manner for movement between a closed position as shown in Figure 1 and an openposition as .shown in- Figure 2. The pillar structure. 22 includes an outer channel shaped member 26 amen 'iimerjcha'nnel shaped member 28, each having plane indicated atent V I as ,945 Ice Patented Ap 1961 has one flange 34 thereof welded to one of the side walls forms the side wall 42 of the door.

' the inner and outer door panels 40 and 38, respectively.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, a U-shaped bracket 50 fits within a generally square shaped aperture 52 in one of the legs of member 26 and includesmounting flanges '54 welded to the other flange 56 of member 32 and located between flange 56 and the adjacent leg of member 26. A stud 58 is fixedly secured to the bracket 50 and swingablymounts an arcuately shaped closed loop member 60 of spring steel having upper and lower parallel arms 62 and 64, respectively. A bushing 66 rotatably mounted on the stud 58 fits lietw'een the legs of member 6i) to locate the free ends thereof. The member 60 extends through generally square shaped apertures 68 and 70 in wall 42 and member 48, respectively, with aperture 68 being of a sufiicient size to receive bracket 50 without interference when the door is' closed as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

A generally U-shaped bracket 72 has its base 74 located over "aperture 70 and bolted at 76 to member 48-. The base 74 is provided with a square shaped aperture 78 which is' smaller in size than aperture 70 whereby fiang'esfi'il which arespot welded together. A, flanged re;

'iiifoicinginember 32 is located within member 26 and the upper and lower sides of the aperture 73 are located immediately adjacent the outer surfaces of arms 62 and 64, respectively. Bracket 74 further includes a pair of legs 80 which are angularly located with respect to the'base of the bracket and fixedly support a stud or stop .pin 82. As can be seen, the stop pin 82 is located betwee'nthe arms 62 and 64 of member 61 but does not interfere in any manner with movement of the member 60 relative to the pin.

The upper and lower arms 62 and 64 of member 60 each include an outwardly embossed projection 84 having one side wall 86 thereof of a steep slope with respect to'theadjacent outer surface of the arm, approxi- 'mately an included angle of 131, and the outer side wau'ss thereof of a smaller slope with respect to the adjacent outer surface of the arm, approximately an included angle of The projections face oppositely with' respect to each other and the distance between the peaks of the projections is slightly less than the distance between the upper and lower sides of the square shaped aperture 70 in member 48 and greater than the distance between the upper and lower sides of the apertu're 78 and the base 74 of bracket 72.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the operation of the door check and hold open according to the one embodiment of this invention will be described. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2,

the door swings in a counterclockwise direction during its movement from closed to open position. During the initial'opening movement of the door, the upper and lower arms 62 and 640i member 60' move outwardly of the apertures 68, 70 and 78 without any interference be, tween the arms and any of the walls of the apertures. However, as soon as the door reaches a nearly open posi tion, the smaller sloping side walls 88 of the projections 84 engage the inner edges 94 of the upper and lower sides of aperture 78 and ride up these edges to move the legs 62 and 64 toward each'other and' allow thep'rojec 'tions to pass through the aperture 78. As soon-asft'he side walls 88 and the, peaks of theprojections ridejii' over edges'90 and pass through the aperture '78,"the

steeper sloping side walls 86 of the projections engage the outer corners 94 of the upper and lower sides of aperture 78 to allow the arms 62 and 64 to again move apart relative to each other as the end wall 92 of member 60 engages stop pin 82 to limit'opening movementof the door. -It can be seen that the member 60 controls the open position of the door and thatthe engagement of the pin 82 with the end wall 92 of member 60 establishes the fully open position of the door. The engagementof the corners 94 with walls 86 of projections 84 holds the end wall 92 tightly in engagement with pin 82 so that there is no rattling movement of the member 60 relative to the pin 82 and in turn no rattling movement or any other movement whatsoever of the door relative to the pillar when in open position. It will also be noted that the camming engagement of the walls 88 and 86 with edge 90 and corner 94, respectively, cushion movement of the door to a fully open position so that less stress is placed on the door hinges by the engagement of the stop pin 82 with the end wall 92 of member 60.

The difference in slope of walls 86 and 88 with respect to the outer surfaces of arms 62 and 64 has a very particular function, and allows the door to be moved to an open position with less effort than movement of the door from an open to a closed position. In order to move the door from the open position as shown in Figure 2 to the closed position as shown in Figure 1, more force must be applied to the door so that the steeper sloping side walls 86 of the projections 84 will ride up and over the corners 94 to cam the arms 62 and 64 towards each other and allow the projections 84 to pass through the aperture 78. i

It will also be noted that the stop pin 82 is angularly located with respect to the base wall 74 of bracket 72.

Pin 82 is located approximately along a radius line passing through the axis of rotation of door 24 about the fixed pillar structure 26. By so locating the stop pin 82 and pivotally mounting the member 60 on the pillar structure, a full surface engagement of the pin 82 with the end wall 92 is insured. This full engagement, in conjunction with the engagement of walls 86 with the outer corners 94 of aperture 78, acts to hold the door in open position without rattling or other movement thereof. Referring now particularly to Figures 6 through 10 of the drawings, another embodiment of this invention will be described. This embodiment of the invention is similar in many respects to that previously described and accordingly like numerals have been used for like parts.

The upper and lower legs 96 and 98 of the member 60' of this embodiment of the invention are now provided with inwardly extending projections 100, having more steeply sloping side walls 102 and less steeply sloping side walls 104, with the included angles between-walls 104 and 102 and the adjacent inner surfaces of the legs being approximately 131 and 160, respectively. The base 74 of bracket 72 is provided with a pair of rectangularly shaped apertures 106 separated by a strut 108. Other than these differences, the embodiments of the invention are the same and the operation of the second embodiment of this invention will now be described. 1

As the door moves counterclockwise from a closed position of Figure 6 to an open position of Figure 7, the member 60 moves through the apertures 68, 70 and 106 without any interference whatsoever until the projections 100 come into engagement with the stop pin 82. In order for the projections to pass the stop pin, the legs 96 and 98 must be cammed apart slightly with respect to each other by walls 104 riding up and over the pin 82. This is accomplished with very little force being applied to the door since the diameter of the stop pin is only slightly greater than the distance between the peaks of the projections 100. Thereafter upon continued opening movement of the door, the less steeply sloping walls 104 of the projections come into engagement with the inner edges 110 of strut 108 and ride up and over th se V 4 edges to cam the legs 96 and 98 apart with respect to each other so that the projections 100 can pass over the strut 108. Thereafter when the projections 100 have passed over the strut, the more steeply sloping side walls 102 of the projections ride partially down the outer edges 112 of strut 108 as the end wall 92 of member 60 comes into engagement with stop pin-82 to resiliently hold the end wall against the stop pin and thereby hold the door in open position without rattling or any other movement thereof whatsoever. It will be understood, of course, that the. outer edges 112 of strut 108 must be spaced from the adjacent opposing upper and lower walls of aperture 70 a sufficient distance to allow the projections 100 to l pass therebetween upon opening movement of the door.

Upon closing movement of the door, sufficient force must be applied to the door so that the walls 102 of the projections will ride up and over the outer edges 112 of strut 108 to cam the legs 96 and 98 apart with respect to each other so that the projections 100 will again pass betweentheouter edges 112 and the adjacent opposing upper and lower walls of aperture 70 and thereby allow the'door to be moved to closed position.

Thus this invention provides an improved door check and hold open which includes positive stop means and yieldable hold open means cooperating with the positive stop means to hold the door in open position without rattling or any other movement thereof whatsoever. Additionally the hold open means acts to cushion movement t of the door to a fully open position so that less stress is placed on the door hinges by engagement of the door with the positive stop means.

I claim: -1. In a vehicle body member having a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end thereof, means swingably mounting the other end of each arm on one of said members, stop means on the other of said members movable between said arms and into engagement with the joined ends thereof upon movement of said closure to open position to provide a positive check, a pair of projections on said arms adjacent said joined ends thereof, and means on said other of said members yieldingly held in engagement with said projections by engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to releasably hold and locate said closure in open position without rattling.

2. In a vehicle body member having a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end thereof, means swingably mounting the other end of each arm on one of said members, stop means on theother of said members movable between said arms and into engagement with the joined ends thereof upon movement of said closure to open position to provide a positive check, a pair of oppositely disposed projections on said arms adjacent the joined ends thereof,'and means on said other of said members yieldingly engageable with said projections upon movement of said closure to open position, said means being held in engagement with said projections by engage'ment of said stop means with said joined ends to releasably hold said closure in open position without rattling.

3. In a. vehicle body having a closure swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end of each arm, means swingably mounting the other end thereof on said body, stop means on said closure located between said arms and movable into engagement with the joined ends thereof upon movement of said closure to open position to provide a positive check, a pair of projections on said arms adjacent the joined ends thereof, and cam means on said closure engageable with said projections prior toengagement of said stop means with said joined ends to cam said projections oppositely with respect to each other and allow movement of said projections past said cam means, said projections being yieldingly held in engagement with said cam means by engagement of said stop meanswith said joined ends to releasably hold said closure in open position without rattling.

4. In a vehicle body having a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end of each arm, means swingably mounting the other end thereof on said body, stop means on said closure movable between said arms and into engagement with the joined ends thereof uponmovernent of said closure to open position to thereby provide a positive check, a pair of oppositely disposed projections on said arms adjacent the joined ends thereof, and means on said closure defining a constricted throat, said projections being engageable with opposite edges of said throat prior to engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to cam said projections toward each other and allow movement of said projections through said throat to allow said stop means to engage said joined ends, said projections being held against said opposite edges of said throat by said engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to thereby releasably hold said closure in open position without rattling.

5. In a vehicle body having a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end thereof, means swingably mounting the other end of each said arms on said body, means on said closure member providing a throat for freely re ceiving said arms, stop meansmounted on said closure adjacent said throat and being movable between said arms into engagement with the joined ends thereof upon movement of said closure to open position to provide a positive check, a pair of oppositely disposed projections on said arms adjacent the joined ends thereof and projecting beyond opposite edges of said throat, each projection including a lead in and a lead out cam surface,

said lead in cam surfaces being engageable with said opposite edges of said throat prior to engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to cam said projections toward each other and allow movement of said projections through said throat to allow said stop means to engage said joined ends,- said lead out cam surfaces being held against said edges of said throat by engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to thereby releasably hold said closure in open position without rattling.

6. In a vehicle body having a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between opened and closed positions, a closure check and hold open comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced spring arms joined at one end thereof, means swingably mounting the other end of each arm on said body, means on said closure providing a pair of throats for freely receiving said arms, stop means mounted on said closure adjacent said throats and being movable between said arms into engagement with the joined ends thereof upon movement of said closure to open position to provide a positive check, a pair of oppositely disposed projections on said arms adjacent the joined ends thereof, each projection including a lead in and a lead out cam surface, said lead in cam surfaces of each projection being engageable with an edge of one of said throats prior to engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to cam said projections towardeach other and allow movement of said projections through said throats to allow said stop means to engage said joined ends, said lead out cam surfaces resiliently engaging said edges of said throats upon engagement of said stop means with said joined ends to thereby releasably hold said closure in open position without rattling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,034,905 Jacobs Mar. 24, 1936 2,140,958 Jacobs Dec. 20, 1938 2,268,942 Jacobs Jan. 6, 1942 2,712,149 Harms July 5, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 780,684 Great Britain Aug. 7, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,980,945 April 25,, 1961 Arthur W, Hollar, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as corrected below.

Column 2 line 45, for "outer" read other Signed and sealed this 24th day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SW'IDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,980,945 April 25,, 1961 Arthur W, Hollar, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as corrected below.

Column 2 line 45, for "outer" read other Signed and sealed this 24th day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SW'IDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,980,945 April 25 1961 Arthur W, Hollar, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as "corrected below. I

Column 2, line 45, for "outer" read other a Signed and sealed this 24th day of October- 1961.

SEA L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

